Hu, Bush push for more talks on Korea
22/11/2004 7:41
President Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush pledged over the
weekend to resolve the nuclear stalemate on the Korean Peninsula through
dialogue and peaceful means.
Hu also expressed his appreciation for a
reiteration of the US position opposing Taiwan independence.
The talks
between the two leaders were held Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum in Santiago, Chile.
Hu also met with other world
leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Canadian Prime Minister
Paul Martin and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang.
Hu told Bush that China
favors a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and a peaceful resolution of the nuclear
issue through dialogue.
The Korean nuclear challenge is complicated, and all
parties should show patience, flexibility and sincerity in resolving the issue,
Hu said.
China will continue close coordination with other countries in
pushing for a new round of six-party talks at an early date, the Chinese
president said.
Bush said the United States appreciates China's positive role
in resolving the Korean nuclear issue, adding that the United States would
continue to advance the six-party talks for a peaceful solution of the
problem.
Those talks involve China, the United States, the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea, South Korea, Japan and Russia. So far, three rounds
of the discussions have been held in Beijing.
Regarding Taiwan, US Secretary
of State Colin Powell said Bush on Saturday "reaffirmed the position he has
taken previously that we do not support any independence movement in
Taiwan."
Hu responded by expressing his "high appreciation to President Bush
for his position on the 'One China' policy.
China said last week it would
resume dialogue with Taiwan only if Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian renounces
formal independence for the province and endorses a 1992 agreement on the status
of the two sides.
Hu also said that China and the United States have made
progress in their relationship in the past four years and that China will work
for the steady development of bilateral ties during Bush's second term.
Hu
noted new progress in cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, law
enforcement and the fight against terrorism, and that military exchanges have
resumed.
Bush said relations with China are among Washington's most important
bilateral ties. China, as a great country developing constantly, is a source of
stability, trade and economic development, he said.
In meeting with his
Russian counterpart, Hu said ties between the two countries have witnessed sound
development this year with the settlement of all the border issues, and that
bilateral trade is expected to exceed US$20 billion.
Xinhua/AP
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